![Spinach Dip Hot Bread](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/rKCsS8vnS4brjFB0MHQf6vAEK2A=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Spinach-Dip-Hot-Bread-FT-RECIPE1022-2000-c00333467d70403bb227c1709346d778.jpg)
This gooey, cheesy appetizer is perfect for watching the game, alongside a salad or bowl of soup, or on a lazy weekend afternoon. The toasty sliced sourdough boule is filled with buttery bechamel sauce and spinach, but the real star is the Calabrian chiles, which lend each bite a gentle kick of heat. Feel free to customize this depending on the bread you have on-hand; it works nicely with a baguette, too.
Ingredients
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¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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¾ cup whole milk
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¾ cup heavy whipping cream
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1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
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¾ teaspoon ground white pepper, divided
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1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium [10-ounce] onion)
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1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach (about 8 cups)
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14 ounces pre-shredded Parmesan cheese (about 4 1/4 cups)
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1 (24-ounce) sourdough boule
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1 tablespoon chopped jarred Calabrian chiles
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1 ½ ounces pre-shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1/3 cup)
Directions
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Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium. Add flour, whisking until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually drizzle in milk and cream, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated and no lumps remain. Bring to a boil over medium, whisking constantly; boil, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the white pepper. Remove from heat.
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While milk mixture simmers, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium. Stir in onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated and pot is dry, about 4 minutes.
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Pour milk mixture into spinach mixture in Dutch oven; stir to combine. Stir in Parmesan and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
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Cut sourdough boule crosswise into 5 (1-inch-thick) slices, cutting through bread almost completely but leaving bottom crust intact. Slice boule lengthwise down center so each slice is halved but bottom crust is intact. Place boule on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spoon spinach-Parmesan mixture evenly between bread slices, and top evenly with Calabrian chiles. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella.
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Bake in preheated oven until top is browned and center is hot and gooey, 7 to 10 minutes.